Food Advertisers Now Speaking Directly to Canine Consumers

Purina has a new ad out on Austrian TV for its Beneful dog food that includes high pitched whistles and squeaks that are designed to appeal to their core market–dogs themselves.

This might seem silly (“dogs don’t even have thumbs, let alone checking accounts!” you might say, and you would be right), but it’s the same tactic advertising companies have used to sell food to kids for years. What are cartoon characters and catchy jingles if not the child equivalent of high-pitched whistles and squeaks?

This is part of a campaign that also includes dog food-scented posters on the street, which Purina hopes will attract dogs out for walkies, compelling their owners to buy Beneful.

By the same logic, dog owners should be lining up around the block to buy trash, poop, and other dogs’ butts, though, so we’re not sure this kind of stuff will expand much beyond the Austrian border.